Dave Clark's Blog 13/03/2015

Yarmouth raider URBAN ROAD would've gone into plenty of notebooks last week as an unlucky loser and is taken to gain compensation for connections this week back over the 550m trip.

Driven mad by Blackrose Beacon for the majority of the race, Raymond Pleasant's son of Westmead Hawk showed decent speed up and fair middle pace but could never shake off the attentions of his rival before giving best close home.

Now 4 from 7 at Henlow, he carries this week's nap as we look to make it three-in-a-row and he has a great draw to work from.

Donning the red jacket of trap one, he is crucially pitched inside main rival and conqueror last week Westmead Rena, and can use that advantage to gain an early lead and reverse the form.

Blessed with four bend pace that has seen him win over the standard trips at Yarmouth, Sittingbourne, Hove and here at Henlow, he won't be for catching should he manage to hit the front early on - and that is exactly what we'll be looking for him to do!

A wide open sprint kicks off the open race proceedings at 7.30pm, with a chance taken on Maurice Newman's well drawn ROUGH BRIAN.

Bred in the purple, this September 12' son of Makeshift is a half-brother to 2013 Derby winner Blonde Snapper and is taken to go a lot better than last week, where he found bad trouble at the first bend.

Prior to that, he posted a smart 13.89sec over 225m at Romford on his first look at the track, suggesting he is an above average type.

Paul Burr's Corrin Butch races from trap five and is certain to edge in, providing ample racing room for the selection out wide to show his class.

Old favourite LANDED AT LAST bids for a hat-trick over 277m and is taken to do so if coming away anywhere near as well as last week.

A smash break put a similar race to bed in a matter of strides, clearly in good form he is unopposable at 7.45pm.

Graham Payee's SAVANA UPERFOLDS disappointed last week, but he drops in trip and more importantly in class this week and is taken to land the first of two Mini Derby trial stakes.

A slow starter inside helps, and 17.11sec over two bends earlier this month suggests he has more than enough about him early doors to bag a vital lead on this short run to the bend.

The second trial stake can go the way of John Gardiner's local favourite COOLAVANNY GOOCH, who already has the Derby in his sights, and can improve his already impressive strike rate of 8 wins from just 14 starts.

Holding the trappy Luminous Queen early on looks the key to this race, but drawn inside her he can make all the running and last home.

Trevor Simmons' CLONCUNNY BOUND carries Irish form suggesting he is up to seeing off the opposition in the 460m Maiden at 8.30pm, before Eric Cantillon's BOCKOS ROCKET and BLACKROSE DAME can secure a double for the local handler.

Selections:

7.30 Rough Brian

7.45 Landed At Last

8.00 Savana Uperfolds

8.15 Coolavanny Gooch (nb)

8.30 Cloncunny Bound

8.45 Bockos Rocket

9.00 Urban Road (nap)

9.15 Blackrose Dame